Trapped
by Momentum's Strife
Summary: While looking for firewood, Misty gets trapped in a cave… Along with someone that she didn’t expect… [Egoshipping] GaryxMisty
1. Fear

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pokémon or any of its characters. They all belong to Satoshi Tajiri and the Nintendo Company. The only thing I own is my obsession to egoshipping… (Yes, you can stop pointing now…)

**Summary:** While looking for firewood, Misty gets trapped in a cave… Along with someone that she didn't expect… Egoshipping GaryxMisty

**Warning:** This fic is, of course, an egoshipping fanfiction. Yep, that means it's a Gary/Misty, known as Shigeru/Kasumi (in Japanese). If you are not comfortable with this pairing, I'd highly suggest that you hit the "Back" button… But if you're obsessed with egoshipping as I am, then by all means… Welcome and I hope ya enjoy!

**Reminder:** All texts written in italics refer to either flashbacks or thoughts… This ficcie happens sometime after the animé episode entitled "Power Play".

**Author's Note:** Well, this is my second ficcie! Please read and review! Hope ya all egoshippers out there like it… Thanks a lot – Momentum's Strife

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Trapped

By: Momentum's Strife

**CHAPTER 1**

"Aha!" exclaimed Misty Waterflower, as she found another stubby piece of wood.

She had been spending the past two hours looking for firewood… Brock's command stuck to her mind all this time, playing back in her mind like some sort of tape recording:

"Ash, Misty? We definitely won't reach New Bark Town by nightfall… Let's camp here for the night, I guess. We'll definitely need some firewood for tonight, though. Grab every large piece of wood you can find. It should get us through until tomorrow. Let's split up to cover more ground. Let's go back here three hours, tops, OK? And be careful."

Misty giggled to herself as she remembered that command again… _Where would they be without Brock? Probably lost, and definitely hungry… Neither she nor Ash knew how to cook a decent meal. He may be a bit hyperactive at times, when it comes to girls, but he definitely knows how to take care of people… _

Her thoughts were then suddenly replaced by visions of them cheering for Ash during the Silver Conference. He had just beaten the Dragon Mistress, Clair, of the Blackthorn Gym for the Rising Badge. They were heading back to New Bark to inform Professors Oak and Elm of their progress… She imagined Ash winning the tournament, holding the trophy up, ranting for the world to hear that he finally became a Pokémon master.

Then again, other images popped in her mind. It would definitely be a harsh battle, after all. Ash wasn't the only good trainer there. He had plenty of rivals to compete with… Richie… Casey…, then, the image of the smug face of Gary Oak appeared in her mind.

_She was so annoyed by his overconfidence and arrogance! Her hands trembled with fury when she remembered all those nasty things he said to Ash when they met. Then again, he became friendlier and less snobbish towards their company lately, especially when they saved that power plant together. She considered the fact that he may already be changing for the better… But that's still not good enough! That's definitely not enough to redeem himself in her eyes…_

"_That guy is so infuriating! I hope he gets his butt kicked by Ash,"_ she thought viciously as she picked up a rather large piece of wood. Her arms were full of thick, knobby branches, which were definitely perfect firewood material. _"Brock will be pleased,"_ she thought joyfully, as she scoured the area around her for more.

She was definitely getting used to these strenuous activities. Day by day, their travels would subject her to these torturous exercises. Little did she know that she would be using every drop of strength and willpower she possesses to survive the next few nights…

Her thoughts about the Silver Conference were interrupted by a low rumbling overhead. She peered up… Black storm clouds enveloped the orange glow of the setting sun, removing the warmth it gave. Flashes of lightning swiftly pierced the inkiness of the sky.

Thunder rumbled overhead…

"_Better get back to camp… It's gonna rain any minute!"_ she thought frantically as she ran across the thick foliage to reach their campsite, with the firewood in tow. She ran as fast as she could with her two skinny legs, and balancing the logs in her hands altogether. It definitely wasn't an easy task, especially when you know that sky is going to cry in a few minutes…

Maybe it was a lot easier, and a tad safer, if she just walked briskly on her way back. "Slow and steady" as they say…

Misty was plainly furious to notice that Lady Luck was definitely not on her side today… In her hurry to get back, she tripped on a gnarled tree root of a large Black Apricorn Tree, sending her and her quarry flying through the damp, forest air, landing like a sack of hammers on the forest canopy.

"Ouch! Oh come on! I don't have time for this! This isn't happening to me!" she snarled, while rubbing her scraped knees. She wobbled a little as she stood up, dusting herself of the muck and dirt that could only be found in such a place.

She remembered that she was supposed to be returning to camp this very second. Or else, she would be caught in the storm and she has to wait it out in a place only God knows where.

There was definitely no time to lose. She scrambled to her feet, regardless of her scraped knees, to pick up every piece of wood she worked hard to harvest for earlier. One by one, the pile on her hands mounted. But, alas, fate strikes again!

As she picked up the last piece of firewood, the storm already began; splattering raindrops dripped down Misty's clothing, drenching her slightly. She swore so loudly that a few Pidgey flew overhead upon hearing her voice, probably wondering if a banshee existed in such a place.

She actually ran around in circles in a frenzy of panic, wondering what to do next.

"Shelter. Find one. Fast," she thought alarmingly as the rain increased in intensity. There was definitely no choice… She has to wait the storm out, or else, she'll get sick or something, something she definitely didn't want to happen to her.

Her emerald eyes scanned the barren landscape, in hope to find a suitable shelter for the time being. She needed to hurry. The storm acted like some sort of miraculous medicine, sharpening her eyes to find the place she yearned the most.

Then, she spotted it. A dark, spacious cave nestled in a side of a cliff, surrounded by a lot of tall trees. She praised herself as she approached it, scrambling toward the place like mad, as if it was a Water Pokémon Convention. She panted as she reached the mouth of the supposed shelter she ran into.

She ran her hands across the rough, dry cave wall, dropping all the firewood she carried onto the rocky cavern. "Perfect!" she exclaimed, actually clapping her hands as she rejoiced on having found such a dry, non-stormy place.

"Who's there?" rang a deep, masculine voice from a deeper part of the cave.

Misty looked up, startled. A lantern was bobbing up and down ahead, coming closer every second. She could just see the silhouette of a person approaching, definitely male. She could also see a few large figures beside him, following him …

"Who's there?" he repeated, although this time, he said it loudly and more demandingly. He definitely wanted a straight answer.

Misty didn't know exactly what to do that moment. She was in a panic, wondering if she entered the lair of a vicious cave hermit, along with evil spirits or violent monsters at his disposal.

She went swiftly from panic mode to survival mode. She wasn't going to let this total stranger butcher her. For her to prevent that, she needed a weapon. She perused the area for any possible choices. The person was coming closer… And closer…

Misty decided to bet her life on a stubbiest, hardest piece of firewood she could find. She clutched it and positioned herself with it, displaying a stance of a baseball player ready to bat. She was prepared for any possibility. Her mind raced again, revealing visions of gore and blood… Stuff she saw while watching all those violent kill-all horror movies.

"No way that's happening to me," she muttered determinedly, clutching the piece of wood with her sweaty hands, poised to strike any second. _Losing is definitely not an option here._

"Stay back, you monster! I'm well-armed! I'm going to kill you if you come any closer!" she shouted, while trying to hide the slight trembling in her voice.

But the footsteps of the man approaching her never daunted, never faltered. It was like he didn't even hear her threat. Misty backed up slowly… This guy was definitely dangerous.

"_Well, if he's not going to retreat, I'm going to kill him first before he gets me!"_ she thought strategically. She braced herself for her first attack…

_She closed her eyes and imagined that she was getting back to Ash and Brock safe and sound. They're going to the Silver Conference and will be cheering for Ash. He'll definitely become a Pokémon Master this time around._

This vision prepared her. It got her adrenaline pumping. She was determined to make that last vision a reality… She raised her makeshift club as she closed her eyes and ran towards the stranger, prepared to strike and to make the first and final move.

She screamed as she summoned all her strength she could muster as she whacked the thing in front of her.

She flinched as she heard the sickening sound of wood hitting a body.

"I did it!" she shouted, finally opening her emerald orbs. Tears were starting to sting them… Although, they were now tears of happiness, of relief.

A groan from the floor told her otherwise.

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Author's Note: Yeah, I know it's an evil cliffhanger. I promise that I'll update soon! Right now, please click that little square button at the bottom left hand corner and review! Please tell me what you think of my new ficcie! Lotsa thankies! –Momentum's Strife**


	2. Rage

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pokémon or any of its characters. They all belong to Satoshi Tajiri and the Nintendo Company. The only thing I own is my obsession to egoshipping… (Yes, that's definitely enough for me… Go Egoshipping!)

**Warning:** This fic is, of course, an egoshipping fanfiction. Yep, that means it's a Gary/Misty, known as Shigeru/Kasumi (in Japanese). If you are not comfortable with this pairing, I'd highly suggest that you hit the "Back" button… But if you're obsessed with egoshipping as I am, then by all means… Welcome and I hope ya enjoy!

**Reminder:** Yes, you guys know the drill. The texts in italics will refer to thoughts, or flashbacks.

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CHAPTER 2.

Misty was literally quaking in her skirt as she heard that intimidating voice again. She wanted to run from that forsaken place, to escape. But, it was as if she chained was on the spot. Her feet were like two frozen blocks of ice, forbidding her to go anywhere.

"Yeah, you really did do it this time, Waterflower!" he said, in utter frustration.

Her last name echoed throughout the cave, sending shivers down her spine. _"A Gengar's scare is a mere joke compared to this guy's cold voice,"_ she concluded. There was something else though… _The voice sounded disturbingly familiar… _

She finally took the initiative to see the person speaking. She looked up slowly…

The dim orange glow of the lantern softly illuminated his face… _That cinnamon brown hair… Those cerulean blue eyes… That pendant…_ It was Gary Oak, Ash Ketchum's sworn nemesis. The reason why he was there, of all places, was way beyond her comprehension.

"_What on earth is he doing here? Of all the darn places in Johto? Why here? Why now?" _she thought in disbelief. She'd rather face a genuine cave hermit than him

She stared at his face… There was something plainly _unnatural _about it…

It was usually calm, smug and handsome, but now it was tainted with solid fury and disgust. He had his fists clenched so tightly that his palms started to bleed slightly. It was obvious that he was using every pinch of self-control he possesses to stop himself from butchering her.

Misty would rather go out into the storm and let herself drown in that heck of a downpour that to face **him **in that situation

A sickening feeling settled at her insides as she realized her mistake. The so-called vicious cave hermit was actually Gary; and the evil spirits and monsters beside him were, of course, his Pokémon! _"Way to jump to conclusions, Waterflower,"_ thought Misty miserably to herself.

She spared a glance at his Pokémon. It seemed like they're as mad as Gary was.

Arcanine was growling softly on Gary's left, already poised to attack. Umbreon was at his feet, eyes narrowed in concentration, ready to pounce. His Blastoise was directly behind him; water cannons loaded, aimed and prepared to shoot.

It was a good thing that he didn't order them to attack right away or she would have been blasted into smithereens within seconds. Seconds of deafening silence passed. Those dead seconds seemed like an eternity to her. She wanted to speak. She yearned to shatter to silence. It was as if the cave is becoming more silent by the minute. She even wondered for a moment if she became deaf. A graveyard would have been a more cheerful place for her.

She stared at his sapphire eyes. Usually, they were like an ocean on a sunny day; calm, benevolent and serene. Now, they were like a chilling blizzard; cold, uncaring and wrathful. She definitely liked the former…

He broke the silence. "What were you thinking! You are such a big, fat, stupid idiot!" he said viciously, fists still clenched and trembling with rage.

"What?" replied Misty softly. This was the first time she saw Gary all worked up like this. It was an entirely new scene to her. It was unnerving…_ It was scary._

That voice… Gary is definitely one of the calmest persons she knew. It was downright depressing and intimidating to hear him shout like that.

"What do you mean 'What'?" he continued loudly, as if he was reprimanding a child who made a serious mistake. "First, you clobber my Pokémon with that club of yours and now you don't have the decency of saying you're sorry!"

"Clobber your Pokémon?" she said softly. _"What on earth is he talking about?"_ She remembered it now… She did hit something a while ago… If it wasn't Gary then it was…

Her attention turned to a purple, motionless body on the floor. She hadn't noticed that before. She was too distracted in paying attention to Gary's enraged demeanor. Sprawled on the floor was his Nidoking, obviously knocked out cold by Misty's blow. It seemed to have fainted instantly on impact.

She clapped her hand to her mouth, abruptly speechless. Her heart was about to burst with shame because of her actions. "_Why did I have to jump to such an absurd conclusion! This would have never happened if I just...,"_ Her throat felt dry and rough. It was as if she swallowed a thousand needles…

She never had the gall or the heart to harm a Pokémon herself, on normal circumstances.

It was one of her main principles… _No decent Pokémon trainer, in his or her right mind, would hurt a Pokémon gravely on his or her own. _

"_But, it was just an accident!" _she thought helplessly, hoping that thought would loosen the growing knot on her chest. The dread was beginning to settle in, nauseating her on the inside. The guilt was eating her alive.

Her thoughts of self-pity definitely were not enough to compensate for her actions. _"Enough excuses! What's done is done…"_ She thought that she needed to do something to atone for her mistake. _"But what!" _Wallowing herself in her thoughts weren't going to help Nidoking in any way.

She never found the right words to express how extremely sorry she was at that moment. She felt sorry for Nidoking, for Gary, and for herself.

Gary knelt beside Nidoking and examined its condition. His face is now etched with a very concerned and worried look. Minutes of silence passed briefly. Gary and his Pokémon were deeply focused on Nidoking now. It was like Misty was invisible to them, like she was never there to begin with.

He stood up and gave Misty a death glare. His Pokémon followed suit and stared at her like she was a gross sea slug. They say that the Pokémon reflected the trainer's feelings.

She could identify that particular feeling as surging rage…

It was so awkward and irksome that Misty, once again, became the center of attention. Worse of all, she still couldn't speak. She was dumbstruck and intimidated by Gary and his Pokémon. She couldn't find her voice. It was like someone ripped her vocal cords right out of her throat. Even if she could speak, she still couldn't find the right words to say how sorry she was. She was still as a statue under Gary's icy stare.

Thunder clapped from outside. The storm was becoming worse every second.

He picked up his bag silently and pulled an orange bottle out. Misty could just read the label of the expensive-looking medicine in the dim light. It was a bottle of Reviving Potion.

"What a rotten day… First, it rains like hell. Then this brainless imbecile comes along, trying to kill us all with a stick," he mumbled, obviously referring to Misty's rash actions with disgust and unfaltering anger. He uncorked the bottle and fed the contents to Nidoking's awaiting mouth. He then settled himself on the rocky cavern floor, heaving Nidoking's heavy head on his lap, while waiting for the medicine to work.

Misty could only stare. Despite the gravity of the situation, the scene looked almost…**cute**. There was the self-absorbed Gary Oak all worried, for a change. It was definitely a thing you don't see everyday. His usually arrogant and snobbish features looked like something else… There was something different about him during that moment. Something Misty couldn't pinpoint. Something that intrigued her…

He was now stroking Nidoking's head gently, hoping for it to wake up soon. His Pokémon were watching them intently, waiting for their comrade to feel better.

This was the other side of Gary that she was definitely not aware of. Yeah, sure she saw his obnoxious side during every waking moment they met… And yet, she never realized that he had this inborn capability to be nice… to be affectionate… to be caring. So caring, that he was like a genuine father to his Pokémon, a protective and loving one at that.

It was a scene that could melt the coldest of hearts, even Lt. Surge's.

After five minutes of dreadful waiting, Nidoking finally stirred awake. Gary breathed a sigh of relief. Nidoking was fine for now.

"You OK, buddy?" he asked softly. It nodded in response… Gary smiled a little. He was way glad that Nidoking was all right. It wobbled slightly as it tried to stand up.

Misty was smiling ear to ear when she saw that she did no permanent damage to Nidoking whatsoever. She was able to breathe normally again, relieved of any anxious tension. The dread was slowly lifting away…

But, her moment of temporary relief shattered like brittle glass within seconds. Nidoking lost its balance when it got on its feet. It was still way disoriented and dizzy from the impact. Gary, being the smart and perceptive trainer that he is, sensed that something was still definitely wrong.

He examined Nidoking's head more carefully, searching even for the tiniest sign of an injury that is causing his Pokémon so much pain. After a few seconds of rigorous inspection, he found a nasty lump on the place where Misty's blow landed. Drops of blood were trickling slowly from it.

Upon seeing this, he instantly got on his feet and grabbed his duffel bag, reaching for his Pokémon's medical supplies. His face faltered when he found out that he had none left… That Reviving Potion he used was the last of them.

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Author's Note: Yes, I know I'm evil… Another cliffhanger! I have one request as of now. Please review people… I'd highly appreciate it. I promise to update as soon as possible. College life is so hectic!**


	3. Apprehension

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pokémon or any of its characters. They all belong to Satoshi Tajiri and the Nintendo Company. The only thing I own is my dedication to Egoshipping. jumps up and down

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CHAPTER 3

Gary searched every inch of his duffel bag again hastily, even turning it inside out, to check if indeed there were no supplies left. _"Please, even a single Potion would do…"_ he thought desperately.

He leaned against the rough, cave wall in defeat. There was really, absolutely nothing left. Not even a lowly Berry or a single Antidote or Paralyze Heal. Zero. Nada. Zip.

The only contents of his bag as of the moment were scattered clumsily on the cave floor because of his hurried search. It included his spare clothes, his sleeping bag, his ever-trusty First Aid kit and some of his food. There were also some cans of Pokémon feed that he blended himself, and also some Pokémon grooming tools. _Nothing that would exactly help Nidoking that moment._

"_What on earth am I gonna do?" _This was the very first time that he ran out of supplies. He felt so… _insecure_. And _helpless_… He never thought that he would end up in such a critical situation. Not even in his wildest dreams.

"_Guess there's a first time for everything, Oak,"_ he thought miserably to himself.

Yet, there was something that was disturbing him, something that was stirring in him. That feeling… He partly blamed himself for what has happened. It was, after all, his duty, as a trainer, to bring medical supplies for his Pokémon. No trainer should be caught dead without them.

No, that wasn't it. He definitely shouldn't blame himself. His bag was practically brimming with all sorts of Potions, ranging from Berries to Full Restores, fresh from the Blackthorn City PokéMart, when they left for the long, vigorous trek to New Bark Town.

He just didn't expect the blitzkrieg of wannabe trainers along the way. He didn't realize that he was getting _that_ famous. Every trainer he met along the way wanted have a piece of Gary Oak, draining him all of his supplies along with it. How could he resist?

"_It was just rotten timing, that's all…"_ he concluded dismissively, as he slumped helplessly. He stared at Misty's trembling form. She looked just as helpless as he was.

Misty stared at Gary's defeated form in disbelief. "Oak, what're you doing! You are _not_ going to give up this easily!" she blurted, her temper rising.

He gave her a look of pure venom. Misty expected him to shout back. But all she heard was a menacing whisper… "That's the very last thing on my mind now, Waterflower," he said coldly.

"Then, why are you just sitting there!" she hissed. She started to clench her fists as well.

One thing flashed through Gary's mind_. "God, she's so bossy! Who does she think she is?"_ Only two words came up in his mind. Two words that he liked to say since they met in that stupid place.

"Shut up!" he screamed acidly.

Misty flinched at those last two words. It echoed throughout the cave, like a ghastly phantom.

Then, they heard it. A sound. An unfamiliar one. It was a sound they never heard before.

It was a sound that was terrible to the ears. It was a sound of something in _pain_.

Something was moaning. Gary stood up in alarm, when he recognized what that was. He looked at his Pokémon. Nidoking was groaning in terrible agony, clutching its head as if it was suffering from a mind-numbing migraine.

Those moans…. They pierced Gary's heart and soul as a trainer…. And as a friend. He never saw his Pokémon this distressed before…

Fainting and injured Pokémon were already a common sight to him. After all, he already had his fair share of Pokémon battles, winning spectacularly at that. But, he never was on the wrong end of the fork before. His Pokémon were never actually hurt or injured in the past.

He never realized that it hurts so much to see his Pokémon, his _buddy_, suffering like this. It hurt even more when he knew he _can't do something about it_.

"_No! I will not stand for this! I will do something. Anything. I can't let Nidoking go on like this!" _he thought determinedly as he stood up with newfound energy, adrenaline pumping in his veins.

Misty was slightly taken aback by his new actions. She thought that he was going to punch her in frustration. But he just stood up, crossing his arms, cerulean eyes narrowed in focus. He was obviously deep in thought.

Gary weighed his options. He could go out in the storm and scurry all the way back to Blackthorn City to buy some supplies. _"Not good," _he concluded. Climbing the slick and slippery mountain trail in this storm would practically be suicide.

He was forced to stay in that cave until the downpour passes. There was no choice left. It was time to put his brain and survival instincts to the test. He had to _improvise_.

He perused all the remnants of his bag which were scattered across the rocky cave floor. "There must be something here I could use," he muttered feverishly to himself as he picked them up one by one.

His eyes scanned the First Aid Kit he was clutching with his sweaty palms. "This is it!" he exclaimed in relief.

Professor Oak posted something on it. A reminder. _"Only use this in real emergencies. Don't resort yourself to that extent. Be careful. Grandpa"_

"I guess this definitely qualifies as an emergency." He smirked as he remembered his Grandpa back home, waiting for him to arrive, wanting to hear stories about how he pulverized the Johto Gym Leaders and fiddling with his Pokédex.

"_Don't worry, Gramps. I'm coming,"_ he thought warmly.

He opened the lid. There was a lot of medicine inside, ranging from cough drops down to snake poison antidote. Bandages were neatly folded in one compartment. A small bottle of disinfectant alcohol was also present in it. _"That's Grandpa for you… Always complete."_

Misty looked at the box skeptically. "Oak, are you that desperate? You plan to use _human_ headache medicine on your Pokémon? You don't know what's going to happen! My God, you could even make it worse if you're not careful!"

Gary cracked s smug smile. Misty wondered for an instant if he had already snapped and gone insane. "_Why is he smiling at a time like this!"_ she thought worriedly.

He cleared his throat. "There you go again, jumping to wild conclusions without taking all the possibilities into consideration," he said calmly. "Thanks for the newsflash, Mistress Obvious. I know perfectly well what I am doing, I'm the _trainer_. Leave everything to me."

As he took out the bandages, Misty was struck by a burst of understanding and relief.

"I'm no Nurse Joy, but I know that this will stop the bleeding for the time being." he said wisely as he went to Nidoking and wrapped the bandages around its head carefully, sealing the injury.

"Now, I have to reduce the swelling," Gary said expertly, as if giving first aid was his cup of tea. _To reduce the swelling, he needed an ice bag. To get ice, he needed…_

"Blastoise!" The water Pokémon stood in attention as its master called out its name, ready to follow any command.

Gary rushed over to his duffel bag and pulled out a silver bowl. He uses it to blend Pokémon feed; but obviously, it wasn't the time for that.

"Blastoise, fill this up with water for me," he said commandingly as he gave the bowl to it. It used its Water Gun technique to fill it to the brim. Seconds later, it was full of sparkling, clean water.

"Ok, next stage, buddy. Use Blizzard on the water in it." Blastoise gave him a questioning look. Misty snorted, wondering where this is going to lead.

Gary ignored Misty's skepticism and continued.

"Ehm, just focus your Blizzard attack on this bowl right here. Control the attack so it hits this bowl only. Ok? You understand what I mean?" he asked, with a worried look.

Blastoise nodded. It held the bowl and proceeded to use its Blizzard technique. It blew ice crystals from its mouth, rendering any target helplessly frozen. As Gary requested, it was done in a controlled manner.

It was as if Blastoise was blowing candles on a birthday cake. Ice crystals were spewing from its mouth gently, freezing the water inside the bowl slowly and surely.

After a few minutes, the water was completely frozen solid. It became frigid ice. Gary cracked a soft smile as he removed it from the silver bowl. A bowl-shaped chunk of ice emerged. _Everything was going according to plan_… Except…

It was definitely far too big for Nidoking's injury. He has cut to it into pieces somehow…

But, he already devised a plan on how to go with it…

"Arcanine, come here for a moment please," he said gently as he called his fire Pokémon.

It boldly strode forward.

"Arcanine, here's what I want you to do. Use your Extreme Speed attack on that ice chunk, Ok? Pretend that we're training," he said, while stroking Arcanine's fur. It barked joyfully in response.

"Ok… Ready… go!" commanded Gary. Arcanine suddenly disappeared for a second, and then rematerialized again beside him.

"Nothing's happening, Oak! What did you just do?" asked Misty, with a raised eyebrow.

"Sheesh, you could use a pair of glasses right now, Waterflower," he said jokingly. Misty's temper flared for a moment because of that last comment, but wondered what he meant at the same time… She stared at the piece of ice. It was already in pieces.

Misty was absolutely flabbergasted. "What… happened?" she murmured.

Gary rolled his eyes. "Waterflower, it's not called Extreme Speed attack for nothing, you know."

He then proceeded to his own Pokédex mode. "One of Arcanine's signature moves is called Extreme Speed. It attacks with blinding speed, and then slashes the opponent with high accuracy. An opponent wouldn't even know what hit 'em."

"Now, for the last piece of the puzzle," he murmured softly. He picked up his bag and pulled out a clean shirt. He picked up some of the ice pieces scattered on the floor and stuffed it in the shirt, thus producing a makeshift ice bag.

He clambered over to Nidoking asked it to hold the "ice bag" over the injured portion of its head. It moaned in relief as the soothing coolness touched its bruised flesh. It then extended its bulky arm and proceeded to give Gary, which was unmistakably, a _hug_.

Misty was touched by this scene. It was absolutely precious. It is one of those picture perfect moments that make Pokémon training worthwhile.

She snatched a peek at Gary's face. Her heart skipped a beat because of what she saw.

There was no other word that could describe him at this moment. He was so…_handsome_.

His features were void of any worry… of any burdens. It was like he was the happiest and luckiest man on Johto that moment.

That smile he adorned… It was different from his usual charming, flirty smile… It was a smile of pure happiness… of relief… It was completely new. _She loved it_.

She saw his sapphire eyes even through the dim glow of the lantern. The blizzard that brewed in there earlier was gone. They were again calm… and warm… _The way she liked them to be_.

Nidoking finally let go of him. He faced Misty, and then flashed a thumbs-up, winking.

Misty blushed, but horrified all of the same because of her reaction. _"What's happening to me? This IS Gary Oak, for Mew's sake! My best friend's rival!"_

She can't help the relief inside her, though. Because of Nidoking's temporary treatment, their animosity was fading… The invisible barrier between them was crumbling to dust. _"Looks like he already forgave me,"_ thought Misty, as she took a deep, cleansing breath.

Gary's Pokémon cheered for their master, as if he already won the Silver Conference. For a fleeting moment, Misty thought that he was going to brag to her about his cleverness or wittiness, something he was prone to do after every successful venture.

But he just scratched his cheek sheepishly and patted each of his Pokémon in the head gently. Misty was highly surprised. Gary Oak was being _humble_?

"GROAR!"

A snarl stopped the little celebration in its tracks. It was different from the sound they heard earlier from Nidoking. It wasn't exactly the sound that was pleasant to the ears. It was a cry that would invoke fear in any human.

"GROAR!"

The horrible cry came from the heart of the cave. It wasn't a cry of pain; it was definitely a roar of fury. It was as if it came from the bowels of the Underworld.

Gary felt a distinct rumble on his feet. After a few seconds, there it was again. The earth under his feet shook again, like a mini-earthquake.

His stomach lurched when he realized what that rumbling meant.

Footsteps. Gigantic ones. Big enough to shake the earth slightly as it walks. Whatever "it" is. And "it" is already…. _coming_.

"_What now?" _thought Misty in alarm.

There were going to find out in just a few seconds.

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Author's Note: I'm on a roll lately…. Another cliffhanger! Sorry for the delayed update, guys. I'm just plain busy lately. So for the meantime… Reviews will highly be appreciated… So don't hesitate to click that little square button down there and go! Lotsa thankies! – Momentum's Strife**


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